How Korean luxury is setting trends

As fast fashion and ubiquitous consumption are redefining historic notions of luxury, the very definition of luxury is changing as well, and South Korea is leading the charge.

Once unlikely players in luxury, the country's cadre of leading artists, stylists, and engineers are offering new takes on indulgence. From wearable looks to automotive design, luxury influence is coming from South Korea in a new and powerful way—and it's just the beginning of a larger wave.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

One motivating factor for the development of high-end art and architecture is that the 2018 Winter Olympics will be held in South Korea, but that's hardly the only reason to pay attention to Korean luxury and design. Here is a look at the many ways in which South Korean designers are redefining the ethos and function of modern luxury:

Style is luxury: Seoul Fashion Week

Being fashionable is a luxury. Just ask the man who grimaces as you get too close to his tailored suit on the subway. Traditionally, designers turn to cities like New York, Paris, and Milan to determine what will be the Next Big Thing in fashion. More and more, trendsetters are realizing that the next wave in chic may be coming from Seoul.

That explains the genesis of Seoul Fashion Week: an opportunity for local clothing designers, artists, and street style aficionados to present a most contemporary portrait of South Korea's capital city. Like similar celebrations of regional trends in couture staged around the world, Seoul Fashion Week is a twice-yearly occurrence in May and October.

Getty Images

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

There's also Concept Korea, a collaboration between New York Fashion Week and leading Korean fashion designers, which highlights new trends in fashion to specifically introduce the rest of the world to what's popular in South Korea. It's a partnership with wide-ranging influence, providing tangible examples of Korean luxury through fashion.

All told, the tastes of dozens of couturiers from South Korea are beginning to guide fads in a new and interesting way.

Gangnam style: A new address for luxury

In the annals of luxury and discovery, it will be noted that it was South Korean rapper Psy who introduced the world to Seoul's poshest district, Gangnam. (No, you don't have to know how to dance to love Gangnam.) Think of Gangnam as a cross between Beverly Hills and Savile Row for discerning shoppers with thick pockets. In addition to offering some of the most desirable accommodations in the city and some of Seoul's top restaurants, Gangnam is a fluorishing center for shopping and commerce.

For a taste of New York (ironically, more Brooklyn than Manhattan itself), there is Manhattan's, a boutique that offers Williamsburg-style garb. Boon the Shop and My Boon are high-end department stores focused on unique objets d'art and fashionable, everyday items. Like so many modern shopping developments around the world, there are Western influences—like the wares and labels sold at Beaker—but Gangnam has an energy and style that is refreshingly different.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Time as the new luxury: Genesis G90

What if luxury were an intangible pleasure? Sure, there is joy and satisfaction in physical pleasures, like running your hands over richly appointed leather and wood surfaces and sitting comfortably in perfectly sculpted seats. But in a world dominated by distractions, never-ending cycles of news and work—and the ability to be reached at any given moment—the ultimate luxury is now making the most of your time.

Courtesy of Genesis

In so many ways, the 2017 Genesis G90 is designed to respect your daily demands. That's why Genesis offers G90 drivers the courtesy of Service Valet: a modern, innovative, and relaxing way to schedule vehicle appointments around the drivers' lives, and not the other way around. The valet-style service includes vehicle pickup and drop-off at a convenient time and place for G90 drivers, as well as a Genesis loaner in the interim. Using Service Valet means never being without your daily driver.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Inside the G90, the motif of service continues, With Bluetooth, smartphone connections, and USB ports and charge points to keep your essential devices charged. The G90 is a mobile office when you need it, and an escape when you'd rather not be working. Real-time traffic updates keep you away from clogged motorways. Exquisite artistry and attention to surface detail prove Genesis' commitment to letting you indulge in what's most important from a splendidly crafted interior. Spend more time in a place that you love, and reap the rewards.

A Part of Hearst Digital Media
Road & Track participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.